Mount Rainier National Park

There is only one way to describe Mount Rainier Park, that is unimaginably gorgeous! Ever bend in the road, each corner you turn, is I kid you not, a postcard picture waiting to be taken. We reach Mount Rainier by Highway 12(exit 68 off Interstate 5), then state Highway 7, at Morton to Elbe then Highway 706. The mountain looms in front of you and with each passing mile, it grows in its majestic awesomeness. Soon the glaciers are easily seen from the road and their mass spans the deep gorges of the mountain. In all there are 25 named glaciers on Mount Rainier. Lust forest, greets you from either side of the road, evidence to the 97 percent designated for wilderness.
Narada, Martha and Silver Falls, are located either at the road edge or within a short walking distance. Be sure to stop, get out of your car, and walk beneath the bridge to see the complete beauty of these roadside falls. We spent the night at Sunshine Point Campground, 0.25 miles from the Nisqually Entrance. This park is rather small, open year round, water, open pit toilets, tables, trash bins, and fire grates. No RV hookups. No RV's over 27'/Trailers 18'. Fees $10.00. This is the only campground open year round.
There are five additional campground throughout the park. Cougar Park Campground is only a few miles from Sunshine Point and is considerable larger, with 173 sites and 5 group sites. Open late May, to mid-October. Reservations are recommended. Facilities include water, flush toilets, dump station, fire grates, tables, trash bins, hiking trails and an amphitheater. Fees $15.00. Group rates $40.00 to $64.00. RV's sites can accommodate 35'/ Trailers 27'.

White River Campground is another large campground with 112 sites, located in the NE corner of the park and five miles from the White River entrance. No reservations. Open late June to September. Facilities available are, water, flush toilets, fire grates, tables, hiking trails. No RV hookups. Fees $10.00 per site. At the time we visited the park Paradise Visitors Center was closed because of a major remodeling to the Inn and construction of a new visitor center. Both will not be open until Spring 2008 for the Inn, and fall 2008 for the visitors center.
Several trails can be found in the Paradise area. These trails range in difficulty from an easy 1 mile at Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls, to a 5.5 mile track from Skyline Loop via High Skyline Trail. The park also has several wilderness hikes, but please be sure to check in at the ranger station before heading out into the wilds.

Should you be interest in hotel accommodations near the park, Nisqually Lodge is along Highway 706, as well as Whitaker's Bunkhouse, Mountain Meadows Inn, Rainier Overland Lodge, Mounthaven Resort, Stone Creek Lodge, Gateway Inn and our personal favorite the National Park Inn at Longmire.

If you want to shop (and who doesn't), there are numerous gift shops, galleries, grocery and general stores along the way. Several dining establishments can also be found and enjoyed.
Mount Rainier Park covers an enormous area and we saw only the southern side. Dozens of other roads, trails, camping, shopping and wonder sights are waiting to be explored on the eastern and northern sides. We can't wait for our next adventure, into Mount Rainier Park. Hope to see you there!

Here is the link to  Mount Rainier Park Service web site for more information.

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